A Study of Barbadoes Pond, March 1976
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"~acf~?U~s---cud .. rn..~-u;r;n.i . t ~traff.r- !\cgicanal l)lanning ({onlm iss i011 January 20, 1977 Bill Morong, Chairman Madbury Water Board RFD # 1 Durham, New Hampshire 03824 Dear Mr. Morong: Please find enclosed a copy of the Barbadoes Pond Report conducted by a research team from the University of New Hampshire under the sponsorship of the comnlission. Although much of the report is a technical discussion of the research, the major findings are described in a brief summary at the beginning of the report. This report is the culmination of several years of research that began with a relatively simple question. Selectman Joseph Cole of Madbury asked how the pond might be utilized for recreation as it had once done in the past. Some of the answers are in this report. Other answers can only be found by further studies of the land capability adjacent to the pond. What this report has provided is important background data and general recommendations for land use near the pond. The study has secondary benefits as well. The research techniques could well be applied to other small ponds in the seacoast area. The data also provides insight about other water resources (wetlands, aquifers) in the watershed of the pond. If you have any pert'l nent comments or criticism about the pond report, please contact our office. sz·~ Jack Mettee Director JM/vs Enclosure ~as1Jfngton ~tr££t ~ampgbirr 90 iBobrr t J}rw 03820 offir£~ 29 t 30 t 31 t 32 telrpbonr 603 - 742 - 2523 A STUDY OF BARBADOES POND, MADBURY, STRAFFORD COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE This report was prepared under the auspices of The Strafford Rockingham Regional Council by The Strafford Regional Planning Commission Editor: Francis R. Hall, INER . Contributions by: Alan L~ Baker, Botany Francis S. Birch, Earth Sciences James F. Haney, Zoology Gary L. Kerr, INER March 1976 As prepared by: Institute of Natural and Environmental Resources, University of New Hampshire For The Strafford Regional Planning Commission 90 Washington Street, Dover, New Hampshire 03820 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page I Introduction 1 II General Background 6 III Hydrology 11 IV Geophysics 26 V Limnology 51 BARBADOES POND: ITS FUTURE DEPENDS UPON LAND USE CONTROL Barbadoes Pond is in fair if not good condition. The pond surface is at its upper long-term level of elevation, and the pond is moderately productive ina biologic sense. Two natural constraints on the system are the organic tea-brown or tepid water color, which is not particularly appealing for swimming, and the general restriction of most fish life to the uppermost four meters of water. Man-imposed problems consist mainly of increasing sediment and dissolved solids inflow which originate from urbanization along Littleworth Road and the borrow pit and other activities along the northwestern side. So far the pond seems to have weathered these problems reasonably well but it will not necessarily weather them in the future. If present activities, such as development of land around the pond in the present wooded or borrow pit areas, continue to accelerate, obvious problems will arise. If groundwater withdrawal from Dover's municipal wells is resumed, then the pond level could be lowered to undesirable levels. The general impact of these actions would be continued filling in of the pond by sediments and increased biologic productivity by nutrient inflow. Very likely, shallow areas would develop at the northwestern end and become covered with macrophytes such as cat-tails and water lilies. Also pronounced algal blooms may occur in re- sponse to the nutrient inflow. The research team involved in this study emphasize the following points as a result of their research: 1. Anything that changes the hydrology, particularly with respect to the water table in the vicinity of the pond, will have a definite effect. For example, significant groundwater withdrawals from Dover's wells have lowered before and will lower again the level of the pond. However, it may be possible to design a pumping schedule to minimize this lowering. 2. Increasing the areas that contribute runoff to the pond will have an adverse ecological effect with regards to dissolved and suspended matter. 3. Increased building, particularly close to the pond, could have adverse effects with respect to septic tank effluent and storm drainage. Erosion could become an important factor by adding to the sediment load of the pond. If the pond is to be maintained for conservation purposes or recreational activities, then decisions will have to be made about land use and development around its shores. Efforts should be made to divert storm drainage away from the pond and to control sedimentation. Neither of these will be easy to do under current practices. SECTION I. INTRODUCTION by Francis R. Hall Many communities in New Hampshire have small water bodies that offer poten tial for recreation and/or conservation. In many cases, however, these communi ties and larger regional groups do not have the expertise to assess the potential in a scientific manner. Even if planning assistance is available, scientific data are scarce and evaluation becomes difficult. At the same time, the Univer sity of New Hampshire does have considerable staff talent in fresh-water resources. Major scientific disciplines represented include hydrology, geology, geophysics, water chemistry, and limnology. The Madbury Water Board and other groups in Madbury and Dover have long had an interest in using Barbadoes Pond, which lies along the Madbury-Dover border, for recreation and/or conservation. In early 1973, the Madbury Water Board initiated contacts with UNH which resulted in the preparation of a research pro posal for a scientific study of Barbadoes Pond. The proposal was never fully implemented because certain faculty members were ava~lableonly for short periods of time and because funding was difficult to obtain for a multidisciplinary study. Fortunately, the Strafford Regional Planning Commission supported several key substudies which allowed completion of a large part of the original proposal. The major purpose of the study is to provide data for planning what might be done with the pond. A longer term goal, however, is to develop a suitable methodology for investigating small water bodies in order to provide the kinds of information needed by town or regional planners. The results may also be of interest with respect to water supply in some areas. -2- OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study are: 1. Develop a hydrologic or water budget for the pond by use of hydro logical, geophysical, and geological methods. 2. Determine the physical and chemical properties of the water. This includes assessment of the nutrients and nutrient cycling. 3. Evaluate the flora and fauna of the pond with particular reference to phytoplankton and zooplankton and to overall productivity and biomass. 4. Prepare a report presenting and interpreting the data with emphasis on the following points: a. Is the pond likely to dry up or are water levels likely to change greatly in the foreseeable future? b. Is the pond likely to become eutrophic within the next few years? -3- PROJECT RESPONSIBILITY AND GENERAL APPROACH 1. Project Coordinator: Francis R. Hall, Professor of Hydrology, INER. Maintained 1iaison during the study, supervised part of the hydrologic work, and prepared the final report. 2. Hydrological Studies: Gary L. Kerr, a M.S. candidate in INER (with supervision from Gordon L. Byers, Professor of Soil and Water Science, INER and Professor Hall). Mr. Kerr did most of the hydrologic field work, collected data, and coop- erated with the other researchers during the period July 1973 through May 1974. He completed the requirements for his M.S. degree by submission of a report entitled, "Hydrology and Water Budget at Barbadoes Pond", (June 1974). 3. Geophysical Studies: Francis S. Birch, Assistant Professor of Geo- physics, Department of Earth Sciences. Dr. Birch prepared depth to bed rock and water-level maps by refraction seismograph techniques. He obtained the data by using the pond area as a field laboratory for a geophysics class and by additional work during the summer of 1974. Dr. -Birch also provided some geologic observations and cooperated in preparation of the pond bottom contour map. He submitted a report entitled, "Geophysical Studies at Barbadoes Pond, Strafford County, New Hampshire" (1974) to the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, and it is included herein as Section IV. 4. Limnological Studies: Alan L. Baker, Assistant Professor of Botany, and James F. Haney, Assistant Professor of Zoology. Drs. Baker and Haney, although unable to participate as fully desirable because of prior time commitments, were able to collect considerable information concerning microflora and microfauna and productivity by using the pond as a -4- field laboratory for several courses in their respective departments. They cooperated in collection and interpretation of chemical data and in preparation of the pond-bottom contour map. 5. Computer simulation of pond-ground water system: Denis LeBlanc, a hydrology senior in INER (with supervision by Professor Hall). Mr. LeBlanc undertook the computer project as part of his undergraduate requirements. The data used were provided by Dr. Birch and Mr. Kerr. -5- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mrs. Joan Schreiber and her fellow members of the Madbury Water Board initiated the project, and their cooperation throughout is deeply appreciated. Particular thanks are due to Mr. Michael J. Kulka, Director of the Strafford Regional Planning Commission, for his interest and help and to the Planning Com mission as a whole for providing financial support for parts of the hydrological and geophysical studies. The Water Resource Research Center, the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, and the various academic departments at UNH provided facilities for the study. Many people and groups cooperated in various ways and those listed below are to be especially thanked for their help: Mr.